Exercising apparatus.



C. B. SIVIITHA EXERCISING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION man was, 1915.

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CURTIS B. SMITH, OF PARKERSBRG, WEST VIRGINIA.

EXERCISING APPARATUS.

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Application led August 31, 1915.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, CURTIS B. SMITH, a citizenof the United States, residing at Parkersburg, in the county of Wood andState of West Virginia, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Exercising Apparatus, of which the following isaspecification.

My invention relates to improvements in exercising apparatus and hasparticular reference to suoli apparatus adapted for use in trainingboxers.

An important object of the invention is to provide apparatus of theabove mentioned character, which will exert a suitable rearward pullupon the boxer, when practising with a punching bag, shadow boxing orthe like, while leaving the legs and arms free for movement.

A further object of the invention is to provide apparatus of the abovementioned character, having means for indicating, preferably in pounds,the degree of backward pull upon the boxer during the use of theapparatus.

A further object of the invention is to provide apparatus of the abovementioned character, embodying a harness to be placed upon the body ofthe boxer and having a band or member encircling the solar plexus toexercise and strengthen this part of the bod Ay further object of theinvention is to provide apparatus of the above mentioned character,which is particularly well ,adapted for developing leg action, in theboxing.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent duringthe course of the following description.

As is well known, in the so called shadow boxing it is customary for thetrainer to stand behind the boxer and pass his arms around him so thatthe boxer is held about the waist or stomach. The boxer, while beingthus held, practices shadow boxing. This shadow boxing is used generallyfor leg work and for limbering up the boxer before going into the ring.My apparatus is designed to be used for this purpose, and in connectionwith a punching bag, and consists broadly of a body encircling member orharness, having connection with an elastic member or spring, which issecured to a stationary object. The punching bag is arranged a suitabledistance from the harness so that the boxer, having the harnessSpecification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 30, 1911Ep Serial No. 48,238.

o n, is forced to place the spring under tension, before he can comeclose enough to the punching bag to strike it. The spring will yield tothe forward. lunges, due to arm and leg 'movements The apparatus alsoenibodies indicating mechanism, showing the degree of backward pull,under which the boxer is working.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and inwhich like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout thesame, Figure 1 is a perspective view of apparatus embodying myinvention, Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view throughrecording mechanism, Fig. 3 is a further enlarged sectional view througha socket member and associated elements included in the recordingmechanism, Fig. 1 is a sectional view through the indicator mechanism,showing the wheels and associated elements for operating the hand, Fig.5 is a perspective view of the body encircling member or harness, and,Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the dial embodied in theindicator.

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown apreferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral 10 designates a bodyencircling device or harness, as a whole, embodying a belt 11 adapt edto surround the waist of the boxer and cover the solar plexus. This belthas its forward ends adjustably connected by a buckle 12 of any wellknown or preferred type. The forward ends of the belt 11 pref erablycarry pads 13 which may be formed of felt or other suitable material.Attached to the rear portion of the belt 11 are shoulder straps 14,which cross, and are adjustably connected with the forward ends of thebelt 11 by buckles 15 or the like. The belt 11 has a loop or flap 16secured to the rear portion thereof for receiving a ring 17, for apurpose to be described.

The numeral 18 designates a nonextensible flexible element, which may bea section of wire, cord or the like. Secured to the forward end of thisflexible element is a hook 19 adapted to have detachable engagement withthe ring 17. A similar hook 2O is secured to the opposite end of theelement 18.

The numeral 21 designates an attaching disk or member, to be secured toa wall or other suitable support, by means of screws or the like. Thisdisk carries a horizontal sleeve 22, having its outer end interiorly ing'a sprocket Wheel leather -upon the screw-threaded, as Vshownat 23, forreceiving a sleeve-extension 24, as shown. Attached to the sleeve 22adjacent the disk 21 is an interior bolt v25, receiving thereon thehooked ends of i'etractile coil springs 26 and 27, arranged one Withinthe other, as shown.

The inner spring 27 is Vmuch shorter thanv theVV outer spring and.extends only for a short distance beyond the sleeve-extension 24, asclearly illustrated in Fig. 2. The outer spring 26 has detachableconnection With the hook .20, as shown. Instead of spiral springs 26 and27, it is obvious thatrother s elastic means may be used,

spring, rubber, or the like.

such as a coil Connected with the sleeve 22 in a prefer- VYablyVertical. tube 28,to the upper end of Which is secured a casing 29 of anindicator.' This indicator isrprovided With a dial 30,having'graduations 31, preferably indicating the number of pounds pull`uponthe springer springs 26 proximity to the scale 31 is a `pointer 32,

rigidly mounted upon a rotatable shaft 33.

YThis rotatable shaft, as more clearly shown in Fig. 4, carries asprocket Wheel 34, rigidly connected therewith. The sprocket Wheel 34 isturned by a vsprocket chain 35, engag- 36, carried by a shaft Connectedwith the upper end of the chain 35 is a ilexiblerelement 38, such as astrip of leather, attached to and adapted to be Wound upon a flangedpulley 39, rigidly mounted upon a rotatable shaft-,40. shaft Ais'turnedin a direction lto Wind the nected With theshaft andthe casing 29, asshown at 42. Connected with the lower end of the sprocket chain 35 is aflexible element `43, such as a sectionof wire. This flexible elementextendsinto the casing 22 and isV passed about ya pulley 44,V carried bya hori- Zontal'shaft 45, attached to thesleeve 22.

:The cable43 Vextends through the" inner sion.' The degree of tensionspring v27,*-and is attached to a transverse member or handle 46, Whichisrpassed betvveenthe turns of the inner andV outer coill springs 26'and 27, as shown.

The numeral 47 designates a punching bag or other exercising device. Y

In the use of the apparatus, the disk 21 is ysecuredto'a Wall or othersupport and the apparatus assumes substantially the'position shownin'Fig. '1. .The harness is placed-uponthe boxer with the belt 11Yextending abouti the solar plexus While the straps 14 extend over theshoulders. The punching bagk or other exercising device is arrangedfasubstantial distance from the harness so that the boxer, in order tocome in striking reach of the punching bag, places the spring orYsprings 26 and 27 under tenof these springs orv the back pull upon theboxes, will effect a correspondingl movement of the pointer and-27.lTraveling in Y The pulley by aV spring 41, con-v A32, Which-travels inproximity to the scale 31, indicating such pull in pounds.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herewith shown anddescribed is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and thatvarious changes in the shape, size, and arrangement of parts may beresorted to Without departing from the spirit of the invention or thescope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described the invention, I claim:

l. In an exercising apparatus of the character described, a bodyreceiving harness, an elastic member secured to the harness, means forconnecting the elastic member with a support, and a punching bagarranged a substantial distance from the harness so that the boxer liscompelled to place the elastic member under tension to come Withinstriking distance of the punching bag.

2. In an exercising apparatus of the character described, a bodyreceiving harness, an elastic member secured to the harness, means forconnecting the elastic member with a support, an indicating mechanismembodying a scale and pointer cooperating therewith and havingconnection with the elastic member to be moved thereby, and a punchingbag arranged a substantial distance from the body receiving harness sothat the boxer is compelled to place the elastic member under tension tocome Within striking distance of the punching bag.

3. In an exercising apparatus of the character described, a bo yreceiving harness embodying a belt surrounding the Abody of the boxerand covering the solar plexus, an elastic member secured to the rearportion ofthe harness and adapted for connection With a support, and aVpunching bag ar` ranged a substantial distance from the harness so thatthe boxer lis compelled to place the elastic member under tension tocome Within striking distance of the punching bag.

4. In an exercising apparatus of the character described, a harness forreceiving the body of a boxer, of a retractile coil spring, means forconnecting the coil spring with a fixed support, a flexible elementconnecting the opposite end of the coil spring With theV harness; incombination with a punching bag arranged fa substantial distance fromthe harness so that the boxer is compelled to place the coil springunder tension to come Within striking distance of the punching bag.

5. In an exercising apparatus of the character described, a harness forreceiving the body of a boxer, a retractile coil spring adapted to beconnected With a stationary therewith and having connection with thecoil spring to be moved thereby.

6. In an exercising apparatus of the character described, a belt forsurrounding the body of the boxer and covering the solar plexus, meansfor holding the belt in place upon the boxer, an elastic member adaptedto be secured to a suitable support, and means connecting the rearportion of the belt and elastic member.

7. In an exercising apparatus of thecharacter described, an attachingelement, a body encircling member, a coil spring having connection withthe attaching element and body encircling member, a flexible elementextending into the coil spring and connected therewith, a dial having ascale, a pointer totravel in proximity to the scale, and means tooperate the pointer connected With the flexible element.

8. In an exercising apparatus of the character described, a belt forsurrounding the body of the boxer and covering the Solar plexus, padssecured to the forward side of the belt to engage the solar plexus, anelastic member secured to the rear side of the belt, and means forconnecting the elastic member with a support.

In testimony whereof I afx my signature in presence of tWo Witnesses.

CURTIS B. SMITH. Witnesses:

C. L. PARKER, ARTHUR L. BRYANT.

@opten of this patent may be obtained for ive cents each, by addressingthe Commiioner of Patente, Waahnmon, D. C.

